1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to basketballs. More particularly, the present invention relates to basketballs that have protruding portions extending around the circumference of the basketball.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Game balls, such as basketballs, conventionally include an inflatable bladder and a cover. The bladder may be reinforced with windings of nylon thread, polyester thread, etc. The cover is conventionally formed from panels of cover material, for example, leather, synthetic leather or rubber. Adjacent panels are separated by rubber channels.
The portion of the ball excluding the cover is conventionally referred to as the carcass. Historically, basketballs have been made by first forming an inflatable rubber bladder, inflating the bladder and molding the bladder under heat and pressure to vulcanize the rubber. After the bladder is removed from the mold, the bladder is wound with reinforcing thread which forms a layer of windings. The thread may be dipped in latex or adhesive. Pieces of rubber are then laid over the round bladder, and the rubber-covered wound bladder is molded under heat and pressure to vulcanize or cure the pieces of rubber and to fuse the pieces of rubber to each other and to the layers of winding. The molded product is the carcass.
The surface of the carcass mold is provided with grooves which form upwardly extending projections on the surface of the carcass. The projections will form the seams or channels of the completed ball. The portions of the carcass between the channels are spherical. Panels of cover material are laid into the areas of the carcass between the channels, and adhesive may be applied to the cover channels and/or the carcass. The covered carcass is placed in a mold having the shape of a completed ball to form the ball under heat and pressure.
The seams formed between the sections of material on the cover of the basketball are indented from the exterior surface of the basketball. These indented seams are somewhat convenient for the gripping of the basketball. More importantly, these seams can provide an indication to the user of the proper rotation applied to the basketball. Ultimately, since the seams are indented, they will not wear as quickly as the exterior surface of the basketball.
In the past, various patents have issued relating to various types of seams associated with game balls. U.S. Pat. No. 3,512,777, issued on May 19, 1970 to R. B. Henderson, teaches the molding of raised edges around a basketballs circumference so as to facilitate the gripping of the basketball. The ridge extends outwardly of the seam of the basketball. These seams constitute a single piece of molded material. It is stated in the patent that a player is given the opportunity to feel, with his fingertips, the projecting edges of the seam which enables the player to handle the ball more effectively than when the entire ball is completely spherical and has no seams of any kind.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,123,633, issued on Sep. 26, 2000 to Guenther et al., teaches an inflatable game ball with a lobular carcass and a relatively thin cover. This patent describes the molding of a raised ridge around the outer diameter of the basketball. A portion of the seams extends outwardly so to be slightly raised above the exterior surface of the basketball so as to facilitate the gripping of the basketball.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,475,027, issued on Oct. 28, 1969 so R. B. Henderson, describes an athletic game ball which has a raised ridge around the seam of the ball in order to facilitate the handling and gripping characteristics of the ball. This raised ridge has a height which is elevated above the surface of the basketball and extends from the seam. The use of this seam profile allows the player to readily locate the raised surfaces with his or her fingertips without having to direct the player""s vision to the ball. As a result, the player can quickly obtain a secure grip on the ball and exercise greater control and accuracy in handling and throwing the ball.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,203,795, issued on May 27, 2001 to T. M. Ou, U.S. Pat. No. 1,098,384, issued on Jun. 2, 1914 to L. T. Hoffman and U.S. Pat. No. 6,099,423, issued on Aug. 8, 2000 to T. M. Ou, each show raised ridges around the seams of the basketball for the purpose of facilitating the feel and grip characteristics of the basketball.
Although these prior art patents describe the molding of raised edges along the seams of the basketball, these raised edges will quickly deteriorate with use. Since they are actually molded into the basketball, it is not possible to replace or remove such seams. Additionally, these raised seams extend only slightly outwardly of the outer surface of the basketball. There is less of a true gripping surface than if the raised surface extended out further from the exterior surface of the basketball. The molding of the raised seams does not allow a person to properly customize the basketball for his or her purposes.
It is an object of the present invention to provide elastic rings for a basketball which resist slippage of the basketball from the hands of the players.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a basketball with elastic rings that facilitates the ability to palm the basketball.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a basketball with elastic rings that provides better traction and feel for the basketball.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a basketball with elastic rings which allows the rings to be replaced when they wear out.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a basketball with elastic rings that allows the user to customize the appearance of the basketball.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a basketball with elastic rings that can allow for the illumination of the rings under nighttime playing conditions.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a basketball with elastic rings that will enhance the eye/hand coordination of the user.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a basketball with rings that will provide better visual perception of spin of the basketball and enhance shooting techniques.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.
The present invention is a basketball apparatus comprising a ball body having a plurality of slots extending circumferentially around the ball body and a plurality of elastic rings removably received within the respective plurality of slots. The plurality of elastic rings extends circumferentially around the ball body.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, three slots extend circumferentially around the ball body. Alternatively, a total of four slots can extend circumferentially around the ball body.
The ball body includes a first pole area and a second pole area opposite to the first pole area. The plurality of elastic rings are in overlapping relationship at the first and second pole areas. Each of the plurality of elastic rings has a thickness at the pole area that is less than a thickness of the elastic rings between the pole areas. The thickness of the elastic rings at the first and second pole areas is approximately 1/Nth of the thickness of the elastic rings between the pole areas in which N is equal to the number of elastic rings. Each of the plurality of elastic rings has an outward surface extending outwardly beyond an outer surface of the ball body. This outer surface of the elastic rings extends outwardly of the outer surface of the ball body by approximately xe2x85x9 inch. Each of the slots is equally radially spaced from an adjacent slots. Each of the plurality of slots extend into the ball body to a depth from an outer surface of the ball body. Each of the plurality of slots has a generally flat surface at a bottom thereof. Each of the plurality of slots has walls which taper so as to narrow from the outer surface of the ball body toward the bottom of the slot. The bottom of each of the slots has a width of approximately xc2xc inch. Each of the plurality of slots at the outer surface has a width of xc2xd inch.
Each of the plurality of elastic rings has a textured outer surface extending outwardly of the outer surface of the ball body. This textured outer surface can be a plurality of ribs extending in parallel relationship to each other around the circumference of the elastic ring, a plurality of convolutions extending around the circumference of the elastic ring, or a thread pattern extending around the circumference of the elastic ring. Each of the elastic rings can also include a chemiluminescent, phosphorescent or fluorescent material.